| Author | Message | ||
     Rick_a |
I've got these in the pics section as well. After owning this '96 S1 for nine years this is my first attempt at some decent pics.         I've got a full set of track bodywork as well...but I've got to repair that stuff first  | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
Very nice!!  and different in every sense! | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
NASA called. They want their robot rover back. Looks stunning! Lots of neat detail touches. | ||
| Dammitquikgentry |
Very cool! | ||
| V74 |
i like it, whats the gear lever like to use and how did you make it ??? | ||
| Phelan |
I love it! It's my new iPhone background. What kind of exhaust is that? It looks like a Borla header, but I thought the borla just ran both pipes into their muffler with no collector? | ||
| Rick_a |
It's good to hear the positive comments. The bike has actually been virtually unchanged for years...but has never really looked presentable, lol. The exhaust is a recreation of an early Buell race system. It's a race header with a 4" Supertrapp external disk automotive muffler. I modified an end cap into an open cap with an exhaust deflector. The header and muffler mounts are set up to tuck in tighter. This bike was a bit of an inspiration.  | ||
| Phelan |
I see. From the angle of the photos the headers looked too close to be a race header, but obviously that's not the case. I bet it stops good too with the duals  . | ||
| The4ork |
your gas tank looks much different than my S1's tank, did you change it? what other tanks are out there because my tank is wayyy too small, but i love the way it looks. very low profile and sleek. that one seems a tad bulky looking, i wouldnt mind the same shape as mine but maybe about 2" taller | ||
| Rick_a |
It's an S2 fuel cell. I wanted a little extra capacity, but didn't like the manta tanks. It also exposes the upper frame rails nicely. | ||
| Ebutch |
Rick Great Looking S1 Lightining!!!!!S2 fual-cell really looks at Home!!!!! | ||
| Rjn |
Mean looking machine you've got How thick is that carbon fiber plate off your instrument panel ? I was thinking the same idea for my bike, but you've got a hole lot of diff. thickness sizes off carbon fiber plates. Don't want it the tear apart due to the vibrations. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Nice. I'd love to find one of those braced swingarms... | ||
| Phelan |
I love the S2 fuel cell. Between the string of bad luck I've had with my bike the last few weeks, and looking at your bike, I now wanna convert my beat up S2 into an S1. | ||
| Jayvee |
THAT must be what people mean when they say a bike is a "BAD ASS" mofo. I would not want to tangle with that. What's the clutch cover thing? Well, lot's o' bits invite attention. Very nice. | ||
| Brinnutz |
Is that the extremely hard to find Race Swingarm? | ||
| Phelan |
I believe he cut down a stock derby cover. If you look closely you can see the round sides to keep the seal with the primary. Another idea I want to steal. I feel like a thief lol. | ||
| Phelan |
Where did the left light come from? I like the mods you did to the fairing. Is that an Acerbis or UFO? | ||
| Rick_a |
Phelan...I think the S2 has a lot of potential. Hell, they all do, really. I've been having "bad luck" with mine since it's had over 10,500 miles. It's always worth fixing though, and most problems have generally been minor. The best looking Buell I have ever seen was an RR1000 (or maybe 1200? - can't remember) that was turned into a naked sportbike. It appeared in a chopper magazine in a small photo in a section covering a rally/bike show. It basically looked like a naked, street legal Lucifer's Hammer, with a big chrome headlight and massive USD forks with dual disks. Never seen anything else like it. The derby cover is just cut-down. The CF plate is .040." That's the thinnest I would go. It's plenty stiff in the shape it's in, but an extra piece had to be laminated around the underside of the tach so that the mount could be tightened up sufficiently. If the instruments will be heavier I'd go .060." A braced swingarm can still be made. Revolution Performance modified my stock arm. I did seek to replicate the rare Buell race item. It's also 1" extended. Just be sure to tell them what the application is; chain or belt, sprocket sizes, what ride height (raised or lowered), and tell them to have the good welder do it. It came back the first time with the brace fouling the chain and the welds lookin' terrible. They had assumed that it was for a drag bike. The swingarm axle blocks are now a tight fit...but that's ok with me. The headlight is a UFO Twins with a generic auto parts store projection beam on one side. It's not very bright...basically only illuminating street signs. I have a nice PIAA, but have yet to install it. The flood beam on the other side was changed from a 35 to 50 watt. Heat shielding may need to be used to prevent the housing from melting. | ||
| Phelan |
My only digress is that I usually don't have the time or funds to fix issues as they first arise, which leads to other issues. My bike is my daily transportation- my ONLY transportation, and it shows, with about 45,000 on the invisible odometer. | ||
| Rick_a |
I'm pretty much on the same boat. Everything I've done has taken me years and a lot of sacrifice. If I hadn't been working at motorcycle dealerships little of it would have happened at all. There's been days where I was in a dark parking lot changing a head gasket so I could get to work and school, or up late grinding away to make rub blocks for the chain conversion after the belt broke. After an oil line broke I made and installed a custom set of braided lines with AN fittings in a day. I've managed to acquire charging system parts for free when hard up. I've actually had to use it as the family's sole vehicle for a couple years. One of my first experiences was working hard swapping isolators late at night minutes before a 1500 mile trip. One of the great folks here sent me a rear shock I could rebuild while I got around on the pogo stick. It has a couple minor issues now. I'm riding a bicycle about 25 miles round trip every other day as I just don't feel like working on it much these days. Thankfully we have another vehicle. I'm to the point where I'm about done tinkering and hate fixing. Everything's pretty fresh internally, so I'm trying to put the least amount of miles on her as possible. I want to make it a dedicated track bike, so I'd like it to be as fit as possible before the frequent floggings commence. | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Wow, looks great, I really like the swing-arm, derby cover, "rear-sets", and the whole front end. Looks great! That bicycling will help your suspension perform better on the the track too! | ||
| Phelan |
All winter my suspension pogo'd lol. I was waiting to get my XB forks to install the rear shock, both of which are the last suspension pieces I ever get used, because the rear shock and right fork seal both blew after about 2500 miles. I'm going to rebuild the XB forks and save for a works, penske, or whatever different for the rear. This Force exhaust has been rewelded 5 times, and the previous one 3 times. Wiring is all burning out; I had to rewire the headlight, horn, and taillights. I have a rockerboxes gasket leaking, but waiting to afford a set of XB covers because I have new XB Cometic gaskets. On my third belt, second front and right isolator. Constantly losing shift toe pegs. Tire ate rear brake line; I have a new line but no time to change it. Oh well- I use the engine to brake the rear. Anyway, obviously tuber riders know how to break stuff, and most know how to fix it . | ||
| Phelan |
BTW I like the bicycling plan. I'm about to start bicycling as well, to build endurance and lean out a bit more. I work out regularly, but I don't get enough cardio, save punching and kicking. I hope to start learning some mixed martial arts in a few months. | ||
| Darren |
It looks like Bender!  | ||
| Rick_a |
So it has some personality. I was considering doing a short number plate with some lights behind it...but the UFO headlight has been on there for a long time, and I'm not so sure I want a new face on it just yet. Bicycling has its downsides too. Just yesterday I lowsided going around a corner at 20+ mph. That protective gear that is worn riding a motorcycle can really spoil ya.  I scrubbed the wound with peroxide for 20 minutes to remove road grime and debris just to have to scrub mud out of it after the ride home. Bummer. I've gone through a couple full sets of isolators and my race header has broken three times. The last time I had it reinforced. I told the welder where to add some material. He was pretty skeptical about my ideas...but it hasn't broke since. The worst things I've had happen are having the front cylinder head break...then having the crank go bad 5000 miles after the top end rebuild. The last things I want to do are do the Banke front axle conversion, put together a quick release A/F ratio meter set-up, and maybe a set of forged or magnesium wheels if I can find a set or come up with the $$ to have them made. The frame and swingarm could use powdercoating, too. (Message edited by Rick_A on July 02, 2010) | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Damn! Looks like you'd better invest in some down hill pads next, sheesh! | ||
| Rick_a |
I don't like having anything attached to the legs riding the MTB. It robs power! I eat it once or twice a year...just don't land on anything hard very often. I'm running some "urban" style tires that are a huge compromise. | ||
| Rick_a |
This is the other bike  | ||
| Phelan |
Wheels: Ducati 999R. They are forged 10-spoke Marchesinis. You would need spacers built to fit the axles, but that's a fairly cheap and easy job. I personally prefer the XB front end myself though. The unsprung weight difference is amazing, and very noticeable. And even with my HD (spit) M/C and ZTL (1) caliper, it stops amazing. I can't wait to install a REAL M/C and ZTL2 caliper. |
